This invention relates to dispensers for fluids such as soaps and lotions, and in particular to a new and improved spout construction for such a fluid dispenser.
One type of prior art fluid dispenser includes a pump with a piston positioned for vertical movement, with a fluid container at the lower end and a pump actuating cap and outlet spout at the upper end. Fluid is dispensed by a downward push on the piston cap, pumping fluid upward through the piston and out through the spout.
This type of dispenser is mounted in a horizontal surface and the piston cap and spout are rotatable to position the outer end of the spout at a desired location. Specifically, the spout has a bend at the outer end for dispensing the fluid into the user's hand and therefore the outer end should bend downward. The inner end of the spout is straight and threaded into the piston. With such a design there is great difficulty in producing threads for the two components which exactly match so that the spout always rotates the same amount in the cap leaving the outer end directed downward for every spout and piston.
This problem has been handled in the past by threading a spout with a straight outer end into a piston cap until the threaded inner end of the spout stops in the threading opening in the cap. Then the outer end of the spout is bent in the desired downward direction. The spout can then be removed from the cap for various additional manufacturing and assembly steps. However, the specific spout and cap must be used together in the finished product so that the bend at the outer end of the spout is downward. This mode of construction is relatively expensive and there are always problems when the matched spout and cap become separated.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fluid dispenser wherein the spout may be bent prior to any assembly and wherein any spout may be used with any piston cap while obtaining the desired position for the bend at the outer end of the spout.
Other objects, advantages, features and results will more fully appear in the course of the following description.